Labour accused of omitting research that shows public sick of spin
Labour was accused yesterday of glossing over criticisms about its performance made in a public opinion poll. A 21-page document on the poll's findings, published on the Cabinet Office website as part of Tony Blair's policy review, revealed concerns over state interference in people's lives. But the Conservatives claimed that almost 90 pages of the more critical findings by Ipsos MORI had been "deleted" from the text.
Chris Grayling, the shadow transport secretary, said the omissions included the fact that 46 per cent of people expected the health service to get worse over the next few years, and the Government's approval rating on public services had dropped by 46 points in the past five years. The results also showed the public "have pervasive concerns over a political culture of spin and deceit".
Other embarrassing poll findings not mentioned were that the public was "deeply concerned about crime" and that 74 per cent wanted the Government to build more prisons.
Ministers were condemned by respondents for "lack of consultation on legislation" and for "violating manifesto promises". The Tories said they had obtained a full copy of the Ipsos MORI research which concluded: "Spin is certainly nothing new. However, the difference is now politicians are seen to be more adept at it and more open about it.
"This openness and awareness has made people more sceptical and more likely to question government information."
Mr Grayling said last night: "We have been telling ministers for years that the cuts in the NHS are damaging services, that the public have had enough of the culture of spin. But as soon as their own research reveals it, Labour spin doctors try to hide it."
A spokesman for the Cabinet Office dismissed the claims yesterday, saying their website contained a link to the findings of MORI's research, which was commissioned by them for discussion by business and public sector representatives.
From:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/01/17/npols17.xml
Health Direct noted on Jan 04, 07 in Public mistrust of labour's govt statistics remains high that selecting and presenting "good news", however, is to miss the point. There is an industry doing that. At its centre is the labour government, with a stream of press releases describing how its policies have made our great country greater. The private sector's PR machine floods us with even more good news.
The problem is that it can be mistaken for spin since it nearly always comes from a source with a vested interest. One Office for National Statistics survey showed that only 17 per cent of us believe official figures are produced without political interference, and only 14 per cent say the labour government uses official figures honestly.
Data showing a decline in hospital waiting lists - ostensibly good news - were among the least trusted. Yet the gaps in the list data and the exposure of practices in some hospitals that made lists appear artificially shorter have further damaged trust.
Labour politicians, it must be said, have "form". Until recently, a section of the Labour party website showed that each of 30 or so variables quoted for each constituency had improved since it came to power. Labour had carefully selected the start date for the comparison: if the trend had not improved since 1997, it tried 1998. If that did not work, it tried 1999. If the constituency was a basket case, it presented regional figures.
Below is another Mori poll from last year- Nov 28, 2006 when Labour continues to pay the price for NHS cutbacks when the public remained deeply sceptical over the labour government's ability to improve public services and the economy, according to the latest findings from Ipsos Mori's public delivery index. A mere 19 per cent of adults believe the National Health Service is getting better, against 46 per cent who believe it is worsening. Just one person in 100 believes the NHS will get better over the next few years, against 13 who believe it will get much worse. (Which proves the adage that you can fool some of the people some of the time- but eventually people will see through the spin and lies.)
Chris Grayling, the shadow transport secretary, said the omissions included the fact that 46 per cent of people expected the health service to get worse over the next few years, and the Government's approval rating on public services had dropped by 46 points in the past five years. The results also showed the public "have pervasive concerns over a political culture of spin and deceit".
Other embarrassing poll findings not mentioned were that the public was "deeply concerned about crime" and that 74 per cent wanted the Government to build more prisons.
Ministers were condemned by respondents for "lack of consultation on legislation" and for "violating manifesto promises". The Tories said they had obtained a full copy of the Ipsos MORI research which concluded: "Spin is certainly nothing new. However, the difference is now politicians are seen to be more adept at it and more open about it.
"This openness and awareness has made people more sceptical and more likely to question government information."
Mr Grayling said last night: "We have been telling ministers for years that the cuts in the NHS are damaging services, that the public have had enough of the culture of spin. But as soon as their own research reveals it, Labour spin doctors try to hide it."
A spokesman for the Cabinet Office dismissed the claims yesterday, saying their website contained a link to the findings of MORI's research, which was commissioned by them for discussion by business and public sector representatives.
From:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/01/17/npols17.xml
Health Direct noted on Jan 04, 07 in Public mistrust of labour's govt statistics remains high that selecting and presenting "good news", however, is to miss the point. There is an industry doing that. At its centre is the labour government, with a stream of press releases describing how its policies have made our great country greater. The private sector's PR machine floods us with even more good news.
The problem is that it can be mistaken for spin since it nearly always comes from a source with a vested interest. One Office for National Statistics survey showed that only 17 per cent of us believe official figures are produced without political interference, and only 14 per cent say the labour government uses official figures honestly.
Data showing a decline in hospital waiting lists - ostensibly good news - were among the least trusted. Yet the gaps in the list data and the exposure of practices in some hospitals that made lists appear artificially shorter have further damaged trust.
Labour politicians, it must be said, have "form". Until recently, a section of the Labour party website showed that each of 30 or so variables quoted for each constituency had improved since it came to power. Labour had carefully selected the start date for the comparison: if the trend had not improved since 1997, it tried 1998. If that did not work, it tried 1999. If the constituency was a basket case, it presented regional figures.
Below is another Mori poll from last year- Nov 28, 2006 when Labour continues to pay the price for NHS cutbacks when the public remained deeply sceptical over the labour government's ability to improve public services and the economy, according to the latest findings from Ipsos Mori's public delivery index. A mere 19 per cent of adults believe the National Health Service is getting better, against 46 per cent who believe it is worsening. Just one person in 100 believes the NHS will get better over the next few years, against 13 who believe it will get much worse. (Which proves the adage that you can fool some of the people some of the time- but eventually people will see through the spin and lies.)
posted by Dr Search- Principal Consultant at the Search Clinic at
3:17 PM
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